Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1887-11-16
JAnEs H. WILKINS.
He Asks that His Oficial Acts be Inves-
tigated.

they DO usually there is very little said
about it. This, however, was not the case
with the resignation of James II. Wilkins,
as a member of the State Board of Prison
Directors, for since he sent in his resigna-
ton there has been much speculation as to
the motive that induced him to do so.
Since Governor Waterman announced some
weeks ago that he proposed to look into
the prison management and ascertain Just
how the business was transacted, there has
been many rumors afioat, and more than
one resignation was anticipated.
The following correspondence IS self
explanatory
GRAND HOTEL. /
SAN Francisco, November IA, 1887.
To Hon. r. W. Waterman, Governor of CdlVor1'ld:
In view of the publication by the San Francisco
Post of this date, touching my resignation as
state Prison Director, will you as an act OF pub
lie justice to myself order an investigation into
my official acts, either by the State Board OF
Prison Directors, or by any other competent
body. If you do not, on the other hand, deem
this necessary, please notify me to that effect.
Respectfully, JAS. Fl. WILKINS.
SACRAMENTO, November Is, 1887.
J. II. wilkins. Esq Grand Hotel, san Francisco
DEAR cir: Yours of 18th instant has been
received, in which occurs the following In
view OF the publication by the San Francisco
Post OF this date touching my resignation as
DLdIc IIlSOu Will YOU DO I'LL dCt VI
justice TO myself, order an investigation into my
official acts, either by the State Board of Prison
Directors or by any other competent body. II
you do not, on the other hand, deem this neces-
sary please notify me to that effect"
In reply, Governor Waterman does not deem
that he is possessed of any right to inquire into
your acts as State Prison Director for the reason
that you are no longer in Office, having resigned
the same; and before any charges were filed
against you in this Office. The resignation was
accepted ard the vacancy hlled by the appoint.
duly qualified. If, however, you can convince
the Governor that he has any jurisdiction in the
matter, since you have resigned, doubtless he
would be very happy to comply with your re-
NJ. u. BoRucK, Private Secretary.
The San Francisco Post evidently is after
Mr.. wilkins scalp. Last evening it said:
Mr.. wilkins had declared that he re-
signed on account of press of business
Mr.. Sonntag, who knows all about Mr.
Wilkins, said that for some time Mr.
Wilkins had really been too busy to attend
to the affairs of the prison All of Mr.
Wilkins friends declared that Mr.. Wilkins
business was suffering on account of Mr.
Wilkins absence, as the dry earth suffers
from lack of rain. For a time Mr.. wilkins
held up both hands and swore that it was
his business that made him resign, but,
under the gentle pressure of the Eranainer.
S!'OllCi, IiiuNcll W Say lIldL
certain charges about woman had been
made, and, rather than bring the woman's
name into the controversy, he had sub
mitted to pressure and resigned.
WILKINS MIXED STATEMENT.
Here is the exact language of The inter
view
well, now, hold on interrupted wilkins, 'T
might as well tell you that l was forced into
this. did not care for any scandal that might
involve myself only but / did not want an ex-
posture that would do harm between one woman
and another. ] did not want any domestic
trouble. Some parties came to me and showed
me some documents. They told me they would
be published If did not resign, so 1 resigned"
And what were those documents about?'
Il cannot tell you now. ! may some day"
Before parting from them the reporter was
told that the official acts of Captain Aull while
Captain of the Yard at San Quentin had been
tainted with dishonesty; that the books of the
fasitied by MS orders; that he had work of vari-
Gus kinds done by the prisoners for himself and
his friends for which no charge had been made,
though the expense OF this work ran up to a
large sum; and that he had obtained goods from
the prison stores without paying for them.
During, the interview the reporter also in
quired why Wilkins called particular attention
in his statement to the bills Of Messrs Hen
bricks and Devlin for travelling expenses. THE
reason, he said, lis that Hendricks bills have
been twice as large as mine, anc. Devlin's three
little, think"
NOT QUITE CORR scT.
When Mr. Wilkins, after telling several
stories about his resignation, concluded to
tell part of the truth, and confessed that he
resigned because he was threatened with
disgrace, he made mistake. He should
either have stuck to his lie or told the
whole truth. There is reason to believe
that there were documents shown to him.
but they did not concern Mr.. Wilkins af-
fairs with one woman or an other, and they
did not lead up to scandal: of the kind
called domestic The documents, so far as
can be learned, went to show that certain
State Prison Director received $3.50 to vote
for the pardon of certain murderer named
Sprague, and if such documents forced
Mr.. Wilkins to resign, it was because he
feared that if he did not, the crime would
be brought to his door Mr.. wilkins
seems TO consider that Charles Aull was
the cause of his disgrace rather than that
his own evil acts led him into trouble, and
he charges certain irregularities against
Aull. II would seem rather foolish for
man in Mr.. Wilkins, unfortunate situation
to do this for the public might drift into
line of thought akin to this If Mr.. Will
kins had IN his possession disgraceful facts
against Aull, how is it that he allowed Aull
to force him 10 resign, and if the disgrace
full facts were in connection with Aulls
duties at San Quentin, how did it come
that Mr.. Wilkins, who was 4 Director of
that prison and Aulrs superior officer, did
not bring those facts to the notice of the
Board and have Mr.. Aull discharged and
sent to Jail.
There is quite a scandal in connection
with the management of the prisons, and
from present indications it is likely TO be
thoroughly ventilated.